England Scotland, Wales & N Ireland Other presentation The balloon phenomenon The BBC1 globe went in a highly imaginative new direction at 7.05am on 4th October 1997, when it turned into a hot air balloon flying over various locations around the UK. But sadly, it would become the final incarnation of the globe - and the shortest-lived BBC1 ident since colour began. At first there was an unprecedented 47 variations in the balloon series; a further five appeared one year later, three more during 1999, and then the four 'lifestyle' idents appeared in March 2000. Twenty of the original idents were withdrawn in May 2000. The '888' caption changed to 'Subtitles' in July 1999, and the BBC Online URL appeared on all BBC1 and BBC2 idents from June 2000. Click on the links below to find out more about the locations visited by the balloon (external sites); and hover the pointer over each image for more information about the ident. Most of the idents are now available as video clips. Idents filmed in England are on this page; go to the next page for idents filmed in the rest of the UK. Click here for the story behind the balloon, and here for captions and bumpers. Images and clips are widescreen where possible.
Swinside Stone Circle, near Broughton-in-Furness, Cumbria  
Canary Wharf, London
 
River Thames, East London  
 
Missing from this collection is one further variation on the East London/River Thames theme (English 15), which I only ever saw once, in November 1997. Is this the world's rarest ident?
 
Port of Felixstowe, Suffolk
 
English 6 
 
South Downs
 
 
Angel of the North, Gateshead
English 20
England Scotland, Wales & N Ireland Other presentation The balloon phenomenon
| 
